Resurreccion
by animejunky78
Summary: It's been almost two years since Orihime was rescued from Aizen and returned to the world of the living, but things are about to change. A strange presence is plaguing the young woman, but it seems strangely familiar. Who has come looking for her now?
1. Fain of Consciousness

**Fain of Consciousness**

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

"Are you scared of me...woman?"

"I'm not scared." She said tenderly. "I'm not scared."

The auburn haired woman reached for his outstretched hand, but as she reached his finger tips he turned to dust.

"I see." He whispered to himself. "In my hand...I held her heart."

Orihime was trying to reach the black haired espada before he disappeared completely. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and dripped off her jaw. However, she was too late. He was gone. Ulquiorra, was gone. She held her hands over her heart. A moment of pained regret stung her heart sharply. After the orange haired shinigami had left she remained on top of the dome. Her Quincy friend remained by her side. She spent the time looking into the distance. Eventually, the captains retrieved them both, and returned them to the world of the living.

Dust floated on the wind as the captains gathered, circling around the small group, then floated away. Orihime's eye's followed the dust trail before she was instructed to enter the Garganta in order to return home. The woman did so with a slight hesitation, and one final look back at Hueco Mundo. A few final tears fell from her face, and mixed with the dust that was drifting away.

Weeks had past since the woman had left, and an air of sadness was drifting on the wind throughout the desert lands of the Hollows. That's when things began to change. A spark of consciousness came to life, and he knew he was alive. The dust settled together and his consciousness was fully awakened. He knew that he was not whole again, but that time would bring him into being again. In the mean time he would drift along silently, alone. As he meandered he thought of many things, and observed others. His thoughts turned to the woman with auburn hair, time and time again. The pained expression on her face as he turned to dust played over repeatedly. The times they spoke in her room. The passion of her thoughts and feelings. He could almost feel the burn on his face when the woman slapped him. She had been so angry at him in that moment. If he could have, he would have smiled at the recollection.

When the memories of their conversation in the fifth tower came, he would feel sad. The woman had really opened up to him then. She had truly been unafraid because her heart was with her friends. Just as his heart was with her now. It was now that he completely understood what she meant, and kept some small hope for himself that a part of her heart was with him as well. Ulquiorra's consciousness continued to drift through Hueco Mundo with these thoughts moving him forward. The former espade drifted like this for a year. The time had come for his body to take form. Knowing that he would be weak and vulnerable, Ulquiorra found a safe place for his body to regenerate. After a few months of living off the reiatsu in the air his body was complete, but his full strength had not returned. The black haired arrancar stayed close to his haven and hunted cautiously.

It took a full six months for his body to reform, and his strength to return. Although he was not back to his former strength he had become formidable again. Ulquiorra prowled the deserts of Hueco Mundo again. While investigating a nearby area he found a small pool of water. Ulquiorra knelt beside the pool, and scooped up some water in his hands. His face reflected in the water. The familiar green eyes and facial stripes looking back at him. Splashing the water onto his face, the arrancar breathed a sigh of relief. That's when something caught his eye. Black hair. All black hair. Ulquiorra had never been one to stare at himself, but this was something he could not ignore. Lifting his hand to the left side of his head, there was no mask, just smooth black hair. How did he not realize this sooner? How did he miss this? The shock was soon overshadowed by a feeling he could only describe as horror, when he looked at the base of his neck. The espada jumped back from the pond, falling back on his hands. His hand was shaking when he reached for his throat. Fingers searched for his Hollow's hole, but only found smooth skin instead. Something was incredibly wrong here. Somehow things had gone awry when his body reformed. Most of all, he wondered how he had _not_ realized what had occurred. As he turned the last few months over in his mind, he tried to figure it out. Everything seemed normal as he filtered through his reconstruction. Nothing had made him feel like things had changed. He still felt like himself. Then it hit him. This changes everything!

Ulquiorra returned to his sanctuary, sitting silently with the tattered cloak wrapped around his slender frame. He knew that he would need to discover what had happened to him. The problem was, who did he turn to? Considering the fact that he was clearly no longer an arrancar, let alone a Hollow, help would not be found in Hueco Mundo. Also, he was not human and could not seek help from anyone in the living world. Likewise, he was not a whole, and could not ask for aid form the Soul Society. The situation was more complex then he had originally anticipated. As he continued to contemplate his situation he began to doze off, and memories started filtering back again.

Once again memories of the fifth tower came back. He recalled the moment that he got the upper hand on the substitute shinigami, and Orihime erected her shield to protect him. This time he took note of the pained look on her face. It was as if she was conflicted, not wanting either of them to get hurt. When he confronted her about her hesitation her confusion became clearer. A faint sense of happiness filled him, knowing that she cared enough for them both, that she didn't want either to get hurt. However, that boy _always_ complicated things, which angered him. No matter how much she cared for that boy he would never see it, and never accept her. The woman continued to hold onto the false hope that he would one day recognize her affection. His anger persisted as his memories moved to the battle on top of the dome of Los Noches. The orange haired shinigami continued to infuriate him with his blind stubbornness. For a few short moments he had hoped the boy would finish him, and take the woman away from this place. That ended quickly when he realized how blind, and selfish the boy was. At every turn the stubborn human taunted him, and his ignorance was incredible. His temper flared to the point of showing his resurreccion form. To show the woman her misplaced trust in her friend, Ulquiorra killed the boy before her very eyes. His heart hurt when she pleaded for him to stop. Her choice of words made an impact on him. For some reason she chose to _ask_ him to halt. The woman could have chosen any number of more demanding words, but she chose a word that asked him to spare the boy.

The next memory to invade his plagued mind was one of the hardest for him to recall. After Kurosaki's Hollow form had been subdued, the woman ran to his side. The sight of her at his side _again_ was too painful, and he had to physically turn away. His heart truly hurt in that moment. A final rejection by the one person he had held any interest in.

The memory that followed did not seem as familiar. Orihime stood at the top of the dome. Her Quincy friend lay beneath her healing shield, and Kurosaki was gone. This could not be _his_ memory, he was already gone. Although he did not remember being there he could feel the woman's pain surging through him. The feeling was almost overwhelming, and it was making it hard to breath and his chest hurt. Tears fell from her cheeks as she looked out over Hueco Mundo. Feeling her pain as his own, he realized her sadness was for him. In a strange way this made him happy. The last thing he recalled before falling into a deep sleep was of the woman leaving Hueco Mundo forever. When she turned around to give one last look, the sadness was still clearly written on her face.

When Ulquiorra awoke the next morning he felt oddly refreshed, and he had an idea. First things first. He needed some clothes. The thread bare cloak he had taken off another was not going to suffice. He would need to sneak into Los Noches to get what he needed. Picking up his sword, and covering himself with his cloak he made for the castle. His strength was almost completely recovered, so he was able to move across the barren landscape quickly. When the former espade reached the entrance he was met by it's guardian. Ulquiorra kept the hood pulled down low over his head, and the cloak wrapped closely around his body.

"Ulquiorra-sama, is that you?" The guardian asked with surprise clear in his voice.

"Of course it is." He snapped. "Now step aside."

The Hollow moved aside and let his old comrade pass. The black haired man passed by calmly, then moved into a sonido into the castle. Masking his spiritual pressure the former espada slipped past the residence of Los Noches without notice. He cautiously made his way to his old room. Sweeping the chamber with his eyes it was clear that nothing had changed. Even in his long absence no one had taken up residence in his former living quarters. This was a good thing. Ulquiorra entered and shut the door behind him. Finding one of his old uniforms, he dressed himself, then slipped his sword in at his waist. He then moved onto the bathroom were he looked himself over in the mirror. Although the face looking back at him was familiar, it was also strange. He pulled the zipper on his jacket all the way up. No one would question, since he always kept his Hollow hole covered before. His lost mask was a bigger problem though. All he had to do was get out, and through the Garganta. Once in the world of the living he would need to find _that_ man. Doing this unnoticed was the hardest part. Ulquiorra ran his fingers through all of his hair and sighed. Sweeping the cloak back on he pulled the hood low again, and cautiously exited the room.

He moved through the corridors quickly knowing that he would need to find a place that was unoccupied in order to open the Garganta. Something like that would draw attention, and that was the last thing he needed. The large open yard that was outside the main castle was in sight, and the perfect place to leave Hueco Mundo.

"Ulquiorra." A familiar voice said with a bite of anger. "You have finally returned."

The hooded man turned to see who was addressing him, despite him already knowing. Standing just inside the castle was Grimmjow. The blue haired espada looked as angry as he always had. He glared down at his former superior. Ulquiorra turned away again, and continued walking into the large open area. Using a sonido the sixth espada appeared behind his opponent, his hand reaching for the cloak. A quick dodge kept it in place, and distanced the two men from each other. Grimmjow lunged forward again, not giving up on his challenge. Ulquiorra knew he might not be able to defeat him in this condition, and would have to rely on his speed. The two danced between attacks and dodges until Grimmjow had gotten the upper hand. Catching hold of the hood he pulled it back with a jerk. When the espada saw the man beneath the hood he stood motionless with shock. Seizing the opportunity Ulquiorra moved in, and gave him a hard jab to the gut. Grimmjow buckled over, stunned by the blow and gasping for air. In the next instant Ulquiorra had opened the Garganta, and disappeared.


	2. Faint Impression

**Faint Impression**

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

The street was dark except for a few street lamps that lit the pathway outside the stores. Most of the stores were dark at this hour, the few that remained lit were closed and employees were cleaning up. The door chime clanged at one of the store fronts. The lights clicked off and an auburn haired woman stepped onto the sidewalk outside the stores doorway. She faced the door as it closed, and a click sound indicated that the door was locked. The young woman turned onto the street and began her walk home. A bag of leftover bread from her employer in one hand, her school bag slung over her shoulder, and the familiar grey uniform of her school made it clear who the woman was.

Orihime walked along the street at a deliberate pace. Over the last twenty months her powers had grown, and the last thing she was nervous about were Hollows. So many had come around lately. She had also been in a little better mood since Ichigo had regained his powers, not that anyone would know. She kept her usual cheerful demeanor around everyone. At school and work she played the ditz very well. Only a few people knew the real her, and even fewer knew her true mood over the last couple of years. Of course Tatski knew, only she knew Orihime better than anyone, and Uryu knew. He had always been very observant, and truthfully Orihime felt closest to him. She couldn't hide much from the Quincy. A part of her liked that. She at least had someone that she could share everything with. The thought made her smile.

The woman stopped in the middle of the road, and looked up slightly. Suddenly she went sprinting down the street. A spiritual pressure had just appeared, and it was a dangerous one. Orihime ran toward where she sensed the spiritual pressure. As she ran her heart leapt into her throat, and her chest tightened uncomfortably. She had never been truly comfortable in battle, but it never deterred her from it. The bags she carried really slowed her down. As she drew closer to the location she could feel another spiritual pressure approaching. It was much faster than her, and she knew right away who it was. The woman also knew that he would be there before her, and she would not be needed. She slowed her pace slightly, no longer in a hurry.

Orihime jogged down the street at a casual pace, then turned into a wide alley. When she rounded the corner she moved to a walk. She could see a tall figure about half way between her and the end of the alleyway. The woman walked up slowly behind the man in the shadows of the cement corridor. Sensing his allies approach he turned slowly to face her.

"You finished things before I got here." She half chuckled.

When the man was facing her a bit of moonlight reflected off a lens on his glasses, as he pushed them onto his face with his fingers. Uryu gave her a soft smile, the breeze blowing his black hair slightly.

"Sorry, Inoue."

Orihime scanned the alleyway quickly with all her senses. Although she knew the answer, she couldn't help but ask the question anyway. She turned her soft eyes back to the Quincy again.

"Kurosaki-kun did not show up?" She said with a half smile.

"No. He doesn't come out to these things anymore." His voice bit slightly. "The smaller Hollow aren't worth his time anymore."

"I'm sure it's not like that Ishida-kun." She tried to argue.

Uryu's eyes softened at her weak attempt to convince herself otherwise. He simply nodded to her, to lift her spirits. The sweet woman still held feelings for the Shinigami boy. As much as she denied or tried to hide it, he always saw through it. Although, as of late, her feelings had begun to wane. This admittedly made him happy. It had been difficult to see Orihime suffer over such an idiot. Uryu had always imagined that Ichigo wouldn't have a clue about her feelings if it was tattooed across her forehead. He chuckled to himself a little when he thought Ichigo would be even more clueless if it was tattooed across her breasts. That would be a sight he thought. The important thing was that his friend was starting to feel better about things. It was time for her to move on.

"Are you alright Ishida-kun?" Her voice broke his train of thought.

"Yes. Just thinking." He snapped back to where he was. "Can I walk you home Inoue-san?"

"Sure." She smiled brightly at her Quincy friend.

The pair walked along the dark streets together. Talking to one another about various things, but nothing of real importance. By the time they had made it to Orihime's apartment Ichigo had been pushed to the back of her mind. Uryu watched her until she closed her door, and he heard it lock. Orihime turned to look at her quiet apartment. Black and silent. It was nights like this that she would often remember Rangiku's advise to her just before she was taken to Hueco Mundo. She taken that advise to heart, but found that she wasn't true to it. She was not herself at school or at work. However, she was herself with Ichigo and the others. She kept the lights off as she moved into her apartment. She dropped her school bag in the hall by the door, and set the bread on the kitchen counter. She made her way toward the bedroom taking off her tie scarf, and school jacket. She unzipped her skirt and slipped it off her waist. Grabbing a light green towel from her bed the young woman crossed the living room in her underwear to the bathroom. The water rushed from the spout when she turned the knobs for the hot and cold water to mix. When the tub was full she slipped in, her auburn hair floating on the surface of the water. Her eyes were closed and she leaned back in the tub. Her elbow propped on the edge of the bath. Lulling her head back she relaxed in the warm water. Her mind and thoughts weaved back and forth. She thought about Rangiku's words of encouragement, and how shortly after she was in Soul Society training with Rukia. The next thought made her squeeze her eyes tighter. A black haired Espada was extending his hand toward her. A simple silver bracelet held out before her. His stern instructions ringing in her mind. Bits and pieces of her time in Hueco Mundo flashed through her minds eye. At times memories would make her wince, but others did not. One memory slowed down for her, a simple memory.

Ulquiorra had fallen asleep on the coach in her room. She remembered how pained he looked as he dreamed silently. She stopped fidgeting in the room, and knelt beside him. Watching him in his agitated slumber. The Espada winced painfully and let out an anguished moan. The woman frowned sympathetically. Something about the dark haired man made her sad. He seemed so tortured, and more by himself then anyone. She reached up and gently brushed her fingers over his cheek. His eyes flew open, and she screamed in alarm. That was the first time he had spoken to her in any sort of friendly manner. Although his deep melancholy made her heart tighten.

Orihime breathed a deep sigh and sunk into the water. When she came back up she pushed her wet hair back, and opened her eyes slowly. She often wondered why these memories plagued her so frequently. When ever she reminisced over that time in her life she found her heart ached desperately. The auburn haired woman pulled the plug, and stepped out of the bath. After drying herself she wrapped herself in the towel, and went to the kitchen. She grabbed a scoop of ice cream, and settled down in the living room. The fifth tower flooded her memories as she slowly ate at the cold treat. All the little nuances of that time came clearly into perspective. The way he asked her about the heart, and how close he got to her was surprising. He had always tried to keep a clear distance between them. When the fight broke out, he was right, she did hesitate to defend Ichigo. When the arrancar girls attacked, she couldn't help but look to him for help. Although the black haired espada never came to her aid, he did keep a continual watch over her. Not leaving her until the Quincy was able to stay by her side and keep her safe. These small acts stuck in her mind. She sighed deeply once again, and wondered why these memories had been so prevalent in her mind since returning from Hueco Mundo for the second time. Perhaps it was because while she was there she had the faint impression that Ulquiorra's reitsu had returned.

Orihime rose and took her bowl to the sink. Retiring to her room, she pulled on an oversized shirt and some underwear, then immediately climbed into bed. The young woman was now trying to escape the memory that hurt her the most. Trying desperately to push it from her ming she curled up in her bed. Thinking about school, about work, about anything. Trying so desperately to keep that horrible memory from manifesting again. Orihime kept her eyes shut tight.

"Are you scared of me, woman?"

Her eyes flew open and she jumped up in bed. Her gaze searching the room wildly, while her heart pounded in her ears. The frantic beating of her heart was deafening, and her chest hurt as she struggled to breath. However, the room was empty of anyone but her. Orihime's throat knotted, and her chest was burning with pain. A single tear slipped down her cheek before she eased herself back down on her mattress. The auburn tresses slipped over her face as she gave into the anguish of the last memory of Ulquiorra.

Orihime was quiet and withdrawn at school the next day. She had been dealing with these horrible memories for a while, but the clearness of his voice last night was disturbing. She had wondered for some time now why these memories would not fade. Her chin was resting on her hand as she stared unseeing out the window. Thoughts and ideas clouded her mind, and plagued her soul. Why did her memories of _him_ torture her body and soul? He was gone, not to return, and yet her heart would not let him go. There had been times that she would think about her feelings for the forth espada. When he turned to dust before her eyes it had been painful. Especially since he reached out to her in his dying moments. What had he meant by doing that? Was he trying to tell her something? After almost two years she was no closer to an answer.

"Inoue. Are you alright?" Ichigo's voice shook her from her thoughts.

"Yes. Yes, I'm fine." She lied cheerfully. "I'm just a bit tired."

Ichigo smiled in his non-committed way, and walked away. Orihime returned to staring out the window. The orange haired boy walked over to a small grouping of friends. A tall boy with dark skin and dark hair, a shorter boy with black hair and glasses, a short dark haired girl, and an average sized girl with black hair.

"She said she is just tired." He informed the group. "Told you she was fine, Tatski."

"You really are an idiot." Uryu whispered as he turned away. Tatski scolfed at her long time friend, agreeing with the boy in glasses. Rukia watched the auburn haired woman carefully. The shinigami girl was concerned for her friend. Although she didn't know what it was, she could tell something was on the mind of her young friend. Chad gave his usual grunt that didn't indicate his feelings one way or the other.

Orihime went about her daily routine as she always did, but when she got home it was different. No matter what she did she could not shake the thoughts of Ulquiorra from her mind. She always seemed to be crying these days. The feeling was really becoming overwhelming, and she wished for nothing more then to see her former captor. Just once was all she needed, but she knew that was impossible. He was gone and would not come back to her. The last couple of weeks had been torturous, her nights plagued by his memories, and days trying to make sense of it all.

Orihime was sitting at home watching some television. Her night off was pretty uneventful, and she was glad for that. The last week had been exhausting, and she needed some distraction. That was all about to change. Just as she had begun to relax, a strong spiritual pressure came crashing into the world of the living. It was a familiar reitsu, one that should not exist. Her heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat. The young woman jumped up and ran from her apartment without a second thought. Orihime ran as fast as her legs would carry her. The reitsu was coming from the park, and she instinctively knew it was the same location where she had met him for the first time. Her chest was burning as she pushed herself to go faster. As she came closer to the location the spiritual pressure began to fade. Pushing her way through the park it became weaker and weaker. It felt as if the spiritual pressure was moving away from her. Try as she might she couldn't force her body to move any faster. By the time she broke through the trees, to the infamous clearing, the reitsu was gone. Orihime collapsed on the ground on all fours, her chest heaving as she tried desperately to catch her breath. She sat down, her mouth open to breath in as much air as she possibly could. Her eyes swept the area for any sign of anyone. She turned her head back and forth frantically. When she realized that she truly was alone she broke down. Tears flowed like water down her face, she made whimpering noises as she cried uncontrollably.

"Ulquiorra." She cried out.

A/N: I put this one out before I did all my proof reading. So, I will apologize in advance for my spelling and grammar errors. I wanted to get it out before I left town. I'm headed to Vegas for one week tomorrow morning. Yahoo!


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